KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 (Xinhua) -- Increased arrivals of Chinese tourists have been recorded thanks to the policies implemented as part of the Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) campaign, coupled with measures to facilitate travel to the country, according to a Malaysian official.
This momentum is expected to be sustained beyond the duration of the campaign as Malaysia has proven its attractiveness as a standout destination within the ASEAN region and has seen an increase in Chinese arrivals, especially during this year's summer holiday season, Lee Thai Hung, deputy director-general (Promotion II) of Tourism Malaysia, told Xinhua on the sidelines of a recent media networking event.
"Tourist exchanges between Malaysia and China continue to grow, and the existing policy measures have now been largely implemented and are yielding tangible results. The mutual visa exemption policy jointly promoted by the leaders of Malaysia and China continues to generate positive benefits," he said.
"Efforts to restore and expand air connectivity are progressing steadily. Although the conflict in the Middle East temporarily disrupted some flight operations, the industry generally expects flight services to improve after September, with capacity gradually recovering. Finally, Malaysia has continued to enhance travel convenience for Chinese visitors. WeChat Pay and Alipay are now widely accepted, while the UnionPay payment network has achieved extensive coverage across the country," he added.
Organized by Tourism Malaysia, which operates under the purview of the country's Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, the networking event forms part of Tourism Malaysia's strategic effort to strengthen media relations and trade engagement in support of the VM2026 campaign that is planned to be extended into 2027.
The 55-member delegation comprises media practitioners, travel agents, key opinion leaders and marketing representatives from Tourism Malaysia's overseas offices. ■
